The Awakening
by SwordxPen
Summary: The awakening of Haise Sasaki.
1. Prologue

**Because let's face it, everyone and their dog knows Haise Sasaki is Kaneki. (You probably should read Tokyo Ghoul:RE if you want this to make any sense, and also, I should warn you, spoilers.)**

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><p>Haise Sasaki stepped in tune to the cheery whistle on his lips as he made his way down the street, the bitter February wind doing little to damper his spirits as he nodded politely at the passing strangers.<p>

His way to work was a simple route from his apartment. It was a short distance- ten minutes, never more and never less, where the traffic proved to always be light, the neighbors pleasant and never intrusive, and direction nearly straightforward.

He passed the familiar stores with happy disinterest, their contents holding nothing new nor compelling, as he made his way to the stop light, which, according to his internal clock, would turn green in just about twenty seconds.

He wasn't sure how the quaint little caffe initially caught his attention, maybe it was the fact it was so easily glanced over, wedged between the other buildings, that it proved to be alluring when found, or maybe his head just happened to turn in the right direction by coincidence and he noticed the appealing aroma wafting from the open door. Either way, for the first time in… ever really, he stepped away from the curb and broke the routine that had never gone disrupted for years.

The cheery whistle died on his lips and his steps came to a slow stop as a sudden feeling of deja vu overtook him, causing the brief case to slip through his fingers and clatter to the pavement. He blinked once in confusion, his form wavering slightly and mind reeling, grasping for something that wasn't there. Haise quickly cleared his head with a firm shake, tugged on the lapels of his white trench coat to straighten any wrinkles, picked up the handle of the briefcase, and walked into the toasty warmth the shop provided.

The interior displayed all the comfort the outside had promised, filled with deep harmonic colors that vaguely reminded him of home. _Home… _he tried to think back to the last time he had thought of something as home, his brow furrowing in concentration. There was a flash of vague discomfort, growing stronger the harder he tried to remember. So, he stopped, clearing his throat and making his way over to the nearest table.

Then, he realized how much he did not like the colors of the cafe, how the richness of it gave him a head ache and the brightness pounded unforgivingly into his head. He should leave.

_No._

And the comforting warmth was now blistering heat, beads of sweat forming at the base of his neck and making his swirling head even lighter. His hands were shaking. He tugged at the collar of his coat and swallowed thickly. He should leave.

_No._

This was wrong, this entire place was wrong. Everything was wrong. Nausea was creeping up his throat and was going to be sick all over the table if he just didn't leave. _He really needed to leave._

_No._

_Leave._

Haise scrambled to his feet, wavering with the sudden sickness, and wiped his forehead with the back of his gloved hand. He tried to focus on the clock on the wall above the counters, but his eyes were glazed and drifting. There was the sound of shattered glass.

_"__Kaneki?!"_

And everything crashed back down on him with a stunning sense of clarity. His mind coherent and focused, his eyes clear and unwavering. The humidity that had been choking him was gone, leaving him breathless in the cleansing starkness of the cold.

Haise turned slowly, shoulders taut, facing the girl who had called the name.

She was young, not too much younger than him, her slim form swaying uncertainly over the pile of shattered glass at her feet. Her dark hair appeared purple casted in the direct light of the sun and drifted all the way down to her waist in straight smooth locks. Her face was casted in shock, soft lips trembling and deep blue eyes wide, undoubtedly staring straight at him.

Before he even he even knew what was happening, he found himself speaking in a dull voice, "I'm sorry, I think you've mistaken me for some one else. I'm Haise Sasaki."

She stepped back in shock, mouth agape, as if she were seeing a someone who just came back from the dead. Then her eyes narrowed, almost in a calculating way, taking in his form with a sudden attentiveness. She focused on the white trench coat, then to the matching brief case, then to his hair and face, her head cocked to the side. Then she stopped at his eyes, and he could tell she was taking in the strange discoloration. He chuckled nervously.

"Heterochromia." Haise licked his dry lips and tried for a smile. "One gray eye, one red, freaky right?"

She didn't laugh.

"I think the hair attracts more attention."

His eyes darted upwards, focusing on the bangs hanging fanning away from his forehead, the once solid white locks stained with the ever growing roots of raven black. His hand scratched the nape of his neck, unsure of what reply she wanted.

"Yeah… can you believe that it was once all white?"

"Yes." She said with undoubted certainty. He shifted uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry, what did you say you're name was?"

"I didn't." Her form tightened, as if she was unsure of what reaction her next words would produce. "It's Touka."

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><p><strong>This will probably be a two or three part story of a possible 'awakening' for Haise. Any Thoughts?<strong>


	2. Egg of the Black Goat

"Touka," Haise tested the name out in his mouth, rolling the syllables off the edge of his tongue and trying to identify the familiar taste it brought. He was certain he heard the name before, but no specific memories of the girl came to mind. Perhaps they met in passing, maybe in college?

He gave her features a farther inspection- a soft face, as pale and luminescent as the moon, just losing the round edge of youth and framed in a stark contrast of dark hair that ended smoothly at her waist in a slight point. With a closer look, he decided the strands, while tipping on the edge of black, certainly had a natural violet sheen. Her round eyes were a deep blue, framed in thick lashes while her lips were a gentle pink, giving an overall pleasing affect.

No, he was sure to have remembered such a face. And, upon his second observation, she was a bit to young to have shared classes with if school had been the case.

Haise smiled politely, offering his hand. "Pleased to meet you."

Touka stared at the hand in a muddled fashion, making no attempt to reciprocate the action. Seconds ticked by and Haise slowly lowered his arm, an awkward chuckle leaving his lips.

"So, uh," He peeked at the imaginary watch on his wrist, "Would you look at the time? I'm going to be late to work, lovely meeting you, but I'd better get going-"

"Wait!" In an action he nearly missed, her hands were locked onto the fabric of his coat and the desperate plead leaving her mouth. He stared at her in shock.

Another moment passed and her cheeks turned a light pink. She released her hold. "I mean, uh, you, I'll get you some coffee, that's what you came in here for, right?"

"No, I can't have food." He answered before he could stop himself, his eyes widening at his slip up. He tried to turn the panic bubbling out of his throat into a laugh that sounded natural, but it was off, even to his own ears. "I mean, I can't have _coffee_. I'm, uh, allergic to coffee beans."

She raised an eyebrow. "So, why did you come to a caffe?"

That was a very a good question.

Why had he come in here? It certainly wasn't for the food. But there had been that alluring aroma wafting from the open door hadn't there? There was only one scent he ever found pleasing to that extent and that was something a caffe shouldn't be reeking of. Perhaps the girl, Touka, had walked in front of the air vent stationed above the door just as he was passing by? It was improbable, but not impossible.

Haise glanced out the window, focusing on the curb he had been standing on before coming into the little coffee shop.

Maybe it was the sense of familiarity that brought him in here. The feeling had plagued him for a while now, almost like an uncomfortable itch that became worse the more you ignored it. It was a curiosity that demanded to be scratched.

"Why don't you take a seat?" Touka suggested, ignoring his lack of answer. "And I'll get you some tea."

Haise cringed internally at the thought of choking down the liquid, but he nodded, almost automatically, in response as he moved toward his table again, unsure of why he listened to her commands so readily. The beginnings of deja vu began to creep up his throat once more.

She was back almost as soon as she had left, a clear pitcher of a watery brown fluid in her right hand, and empty glass in her left. He swallowed thickly at the sound of swirling liquid against crackling ice. At least tea came back up easily.

To his surprise, although he really shouldn't be since this girl had only done strange things in the sort time he had known her, she slid into the booth opposite of him once she finished filling the glass, clasping her hands neatly onto the table and peering up expectantly at him. He flashed a weak smile in return.

"So." The intensity of her stare was unnerving and entirely uncalled for in the atmosphere at hand. His eyes averted to the paint on the walls. "How long has this caffe been open? I don't think I've seen it before."

"About a week."

Haise took his first sip from the glass. It was just as awful as he had expected - stale liquid with the thick aftertaste of dirt and mold washed down his throat, his stomach clenching tightly as the unwelcome fluid disrupted the contents.

He coughed into the crook of his elbow. "That's nice. I don't have too many restaurants close to my apartment."

"You okay? You seem a bit sick."

For a second, he could of sworn she knew what he was. With the way her words were said, with an almost teasing undertone, as if she could tell his discomfort was from the incompatibility of the liquid in his system… no, that would be impossible.

"I'm fine, just feeling a bit off today."

Touka nodded, drifting her attention to the window with a slight flash of her eyes. "I was talking about before, when you were rushing out of here. It seemed liked you were going to be sick."

Had it been that obvious?

"I get into these moods sometimes, where I feel like I'm on edge and everything is closing in on me. I don't really know what triggers it, but when it happens I just have to get away from everything. Or," He shot her a pointed look in a playful manner, "I just have to be distracted."

Touka tapped a finger on her chin. "Almost like PTSD."

"Almost," Haise smiled. "But I'm told it has more to do with anxiety."

"Ah," She nodded thoughtfully then leaned forward with a different air about her. "So, you work for the do- the CCG."

"Yeah," he said, slightly unsettled at the intensity of her tone and quick shift in topics. "How did you know?"

Touka tapped on the edge of his brief case, her eyebrows arched with a tight lipped smile. Haise blushed.

"Oh, yeah."

"'Oh, yeah.'" She teased and the blush deepened.

Touka relaxed back into her seat, peering at her nails in an almost uninterested manner. "Is it scary, trying to kill ghouls?"

"Not really," Haise answered. _I hate it. _"I'm a pretty decent fighter - I mentor a new squad of upcoming investigators. I try to refrain from killing myself though, I don't enjoy killing others, despite being ghouls."

That seemed to catch her interest, her blue eyes wide and her back growing stiff with the same tautness from earlier, from when she had first called him the wrong name. When she offered no reply, he voiced his thoughts.

"What was that name you had called me earlier? Kateki?"

She drew in a deep breath. "_Kaneki_. He was a… old friend of mine. He was in an accident a few years ago, and you had reminded me of him."

Haise took another swallow of tea. "Really? I don't have the most common appearance." He gestured vaguely at his hair and eyes, struggling to keep the atmosphere light.

"You'd be surprised." Touka laughed humorlessly. "Even now, your personality reminds me of a… version of him."

"'Version?'" He remarked dryly. She laughed again, a happier tone seeping through her demeanor.

"Yeah, that idiot, I swear he had multi-personality disorder."

Haise gave her a sympathetic smile, his eyes soft. "I'm sorry for your loss."

And her attitude did another flip, her eyes narrowing, raking over his face in a searing gaze and sending him reeling. Her shoulders grew tense as she replied in a curt voice. "Yeah, thanks."

Haise turned away from her stare, uncomfortable with the annoying but unidentifiable familiarity it was producing. He downed the rest of his glass with a quick shudder.

"Before you leave," She murmured, eyeing the empty glass on the table with a bare form of fascination, "I wanted to ask you - do you like to read?"

And before he could stop himself, the words poured from his mouth in all forms of honesty, the way they only seemed to do with this girl. "I love to read."

Touka reached beneath the table, dug into the large front pocket of her apron, and produced a paper back pocket-book, tattered and crumbling within her hands. "It was from a friend of mine, but I never could get into it, no matter how hard I tried. I think you should have it."

"I can't accept this." But his fingers were already grazing the cover, taking in the worn edges. He traced the name of the author. "'Takatsuki Sen?' I've never heard of her."

She smiled softly, gently pushing the books in his hands. "I think you'll like her work."

A wide smile of his own appeared, and he bowed his head. "I am grateful."

A hint of red came to her cheeks and then it was gone, covered by a crown of dark hair of her inclined head. "Just one condition."

"Yes?"

"You have to promise to come back here, after work, okay?" Two blue opals shined at him through a curtain of inky tendrils, her expression unreadable.

Haise didn't hesitate. "Yes."

"Good." Touka grinned, flicking a lock away from her face with a swipe of her fingers. The clock came into focus from behind her shoulder and a curse came to his lips. He jumped from the booth.

"An hour?! I'm going to be in so much- How much do I owe you? For the tea?" The reminder brought his attention to the full sloshing in his stomach, and he quickly laid his free hand on the table to steady himself as to make sure the dark fluid wouldn't make an unwelcome reappearance.

Touka wavered, her jaw clenched, at the apprehension of the rapidly increasing event of his departure then turned away from him, her shoulders caving in and her face only visible in the slim reflection of the window pane. "It's on the house."

None the less, Haise fished a crumpled ten dollar bill from his coat pocket and set it on the table, tucking the book into it's place.

"I guess I'll see you tonight."

A whisper. "Yeah."

His lips turned down as he stepped away, making his way to the entrance. There was a crutch of glass and he stumbled to a stop, looking down at the left remains of the coffee cup in vague surprise. He shot a sheepish grin over his shoulder, and then immediately lost all ability to breathe.

In Touka's place was another version, _a younger version_, of the same woman he had just been talking to. Short hair of the same shade was cut harshly to her chin with thick bangs concealing her right eye. Her face was rounder and clothes darker, but the same unmistakable shade of midnight blue peered right back at him.

_Kaneki._

Air wasn't reaching his lungs and the world was spinning fast, _way too fast. _He swiveled on his heel, bile burning the back of his throat and he fled.

**Thank you all for the favs, follows, and lovely reviews a got for the prologue. I'd love to hear you guys thought of this chapter as well.**


	3. One Eye

**Thank you all for the reviews, favs, and follows. Also, sorry for the water mistake last chapter and thank you for those who corrected me, I cannot believe I made such a stupid error. **

**Oh and ****hAppY. LoL Lip Op. nya ****you informed me that in the previous chapter that the author of the book was a girl, and I doubled checked in the manga and they refer to the author as a 'he.' Please tell me if I'm getting that wrong. Thanks.**

**Now onto the chapter.**

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><p>Haise stumbled on the sidewalk, tripping over his own two feet and gasping for air like a fish out of water. His mind swirled with the triggered vertigo and he could feel something raging in head, pounding to get out. Something that he spent all his energy keeping in.<p>

He could see the CCG building now, just a block down and looming above the surrounding buildings with a dull undertone of foreboding. His stomach sloshed uncomfortably and he had to swallow down the urge to purge.

Haise had hoped by the time he had made it to the front doors, the familiar bout of sickness would have left him like it always did, but for the first time it stayed, the anxiousness throbbing unforgivingly in his head that made him feel as if he had forgotten something drastically important.

Shaking his head once in a feeble attempt to clear it, he smoothed the wrinkles from his jacket with a trembling hand and trekked into the CCG, his stomach already sore from the Mado punch he was about to receive for being late.

"Haise!" Mutsuki's voice met his ears not a second later and his eyes focused on the slight form rushing towards him.

"Where have you been?" The worry evident in his voice was enough to tell how much trouble he was in, ignoring the panic etched into the young man's face altogether.

"Yes." Then Akira was there, looming over Mutsuki's shoulder, an innocent curiosity in her tone but his imminent death in her eyes. "Where have you been?"

Haise swallowed thickly, a nervous smile coming to his lips and he blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "I, um, you know, had an episode."

It _technically_ wasn't a lie - he really did have an episode - but he certainly wasn't ready to share that the episode hadn't lasted for the better part of the hour and he instead was chatting with some strange waitress at a caffe, because _that_ would blow over well.

But the words definitely had their desired affect.

Mutsuki nodded solemnly, as expected, but Akira's expression held a deeper understanding - one more knowledgeable of the danger. She raised an eyebrow and he awaited for the verdict, his stomach churning.

Sweat beaded at the back of his neck and he could taste the guilt in the back of his throat. Suddenly, another feeling swelled, something that was prominently different from the others, almost… tangible. By the time he could feel the bile burn the back of his throat it was too late.

The salvation of the bathroom doors were across the room and out of reach so Haise took the second best offering- the potted plant that stood just a few feet away. With his blood roaring in his ears, he stumbled to his knees and expelled the contents of his stomach into the pot.

The sickness passed quickly and ended with a wet, shuddering cough. The silence that greeted him was deafening, any form of chatter that had once surrounded him was dispelled. He realized a second later that there was a pressure on his back - Mutsuki's hand pressed against his shoulder blade in a concerned fashion.

Haise bit the inside of his cheek and glanced to meet the looming shadow that was Akira. At her deadpan expression that demanded an answer, he chuckled nervously. "So, I, uh, might have possibly consumed human food."

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><p>Haise stared sullenly at the ground, feeling way too much like a scolded kid under the watchful stares of Akira and Doctor Shiba.<p>

He attempted to make the lie sound believable although he was fairly positive the guilt was written over his face. "A woman had set up free samples in front of her shop and practically shoved the food down my throat when I walked by. I was trying to be polite, and I would've handled the food fine if it weren't for, you know, the episode."

Doctor Shiba tapped the pen against his chin, a thoughtful expression written upon his face, then he spoke. "This… episode, you said it lasted fairly long."

Haise was suddenly very aware of Akira's hawk-like eyes and he shifted in his seat. "Yes."

"Did you hear _him_?"

The atmosphere of the room dropped a few degrees and it was as if some dowsed in him in ice cold water. Haise gripped the edges of the chair and spoke through clenched teeth as if the thought would bring him near.

"No."

Doctor Shiba hummed to himself and wrote something down on his pad. He then motioned to Akira and she craned her neck down so he could whisper something in her ear.

She cleared her throat and straightened. "Haise, I want you to take the rest of today off."

"But," Haise stuttered, panicking to rectify the situation. "I'm fine really, and what if something happens-"

"No 'buts.' If a dire situation does occur, I will notify you at once, but I do not need you unstable while you are out on the field. You don't want another accident do you?"

Haise sank farther into his chair, lowering his eyes to the floor. "No."

"Good. Now go home. I believe Saiko is there, correct?"

Haise's mind flashed to the pigtailed girl, most likely still asleep, and he almost chuckled at the thought. "Yes, she is."

Akira nodded. "I expect you to be here tomorrow, bright and early. And _on time_."

Haise had the good grace to blush at the comment. "Of course."

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><p>Haise stumbled into the apartment, throwing his keys onto the dining room table and yelling a half hearted hello that would be lost to headphone covered ears. But to his surprise, a head peaked through the kitchen doorway, electric blue pigtails swinging. Saiko mumbled something around the spoon in her mouth.<p>

He chuckled. "I'm sorry, I can't hear you through the peanut butter."

She swallowed and tried again. "I said you're home early."

Haise nodded and shifted to pull the shoes off his feet. On his way back to the apartment, he had half a mind to stop by the caffe, and he almost did, but not wanting to face her just yet and wanting to give his mind a break from the wrecking ball of anxiety that had plowed through his morning, he decided against it. At the moment, all he wanted to do was sleep.

He broke away from the door and tumbled onto the couch, burring his head into the cushions.

"Did something happen?" Saiko didn't sound too interested as she clambered her way through the kitchen, none the less he answered.

"Yeah, had a panic attack."

"Must have been pretty big for them to send you home early."

"Yup." He agreed. Haise liked the form of conversation that Saiko presented - short and to the point. She didn't like small talk, finding in it unnecessarily long and boring, and while most people often found it rude, he found it endearing. Or maybe he just had the bad habit of finding the best in people. "Are Urie and Shirazu still out?"

"Yep." She replied, popping the p. "I'm going to be in my room."

Haise hummed in reply.

He waited for the loud steps to disappear, and with the slam of a door, Haise immediately shifted into an upright position. He dug his hand into the inner pocket of his jacket and produced the book Touka had given him.

_Egg of the Black Goat_

He traced the title with his fingers like had done so nearly an hour before and with a paranoid glance to make sure no once was watching, he opened the cover and started to read.

The first line and he already knew It was wrong.

The words were familiar, way too familiar, and there was a dull throb in his head. With an abrupt jerk of his hand, he slammed the book shut, having enough deja vu to last a life time.

A defeated sigh escaped his lips, Haise delved back into the couch, clenching his eyes shut.

"Kaneki."

The familiar voice called to him and his eyes fluttered open with surprise. "Touka?"

The dark-haired girl was crouched in front of him, her hands deathly cold against his cheeks. He jerked upwards and her hands fell limply to her sides, a mask of hurt marring her features.

"What-" He struggled to find the words, his jaw clenching in confusion. "How did you get into the apartment?"

His eyes darted to the door only to find the deadbolt locked firmly in place.

"Why did you have to change?"

_"__What?!"_

His heart stuttered to a halt in his chest, and pinprick of pain shot through his head. Her eyes watered and to his horror, tears overflowed and dripped onto the carpet below them. His hands hovered over her in a flurry of unease, unsure of whether he should offer some form of comfort.

Haise settled for an awkward pat on the shoulder. "There, there. It will be alright."

The was a crinkle of pages and then a slight thump, and both of their heads turned to see the book land facedown on the floor, crunching the pages in an awkward position. Touka reached for it and brought the book to her face, silently reading the page it landed on.

"Oh Kaneki." And then her voice wasn't her voice, it was higher with a girlish quality to it that chilled him to the very core. "This is the part where the black goat catches a man who's running away in bewilderment and rips out all his entrails."

She lowered the book and her glasses caught the light, her long light hair swaying. "No matter how many times I read that part,"

Her fingers trembled with anticipation, saliva dripping from her lips. "It always makes me shudder!"

She lunged forward, her hands clamping around his throat and he fell back.

And fell.

And fell.

And fell.

And he landed on a hard chair, his back arching in pain at the sharp juncture of wood pressing into his spine. The chains around his feet clanked heavily.

"Are you ready to accept me?"

The hands enclosed around his throat were suddenly sickly pale with nails black from the blood trapped beneath the surface. There was a flash of white hair and his own face was looming above him, his mouth twisted in a sick grin.

Haise struggled for air, clawing desperately at the hands, adrenaline clenching his heart with the same unforgiving hold. The pressure on his head was unbearable, his skull concaving in with a sudden explosions of fragments of bone that sliced his brain into mush.

"No? Well in that case," He leaned closer, his breath reeking of that one identifiable scent, "what is a thousand minus seven?"

Haise shot from the couch like a bullet from a gun, landing halfway across the room with his hands still grasping at his throat. He swayed on his feet, the sharp ringing in his ears not helping with the migraine that was rampaging through his head.

And with his body going into shock, he could feel the ghoul side of him struggling to take over- his muscles tensing for battle, his limbs shifting into a defensive position, and despite the fact it felt like his head was being shredded to pieces, he was absorbing his surroundings with a stunning clarity.

Urie's and Shirazu's shocked faces from the open doorway, their mouths dropped in what would have been a comical fashion if not for the fact that his kagune was trying to expel from his back. Saiko's halt midway down the stairs, completely frozen and a half empty carton of ice-cream that laid at the bottom of the stairwell, the spoon clattering behind it. Mutsuki's arm was still outstretched over the couch where he presumably shook Haise awake, his eyes wide and jaw agape.

Abruptly, Haise shook himself from his spot, forcing himself into a casual pose that was too stiff to be deemed anything but, and a pained smile etched onto his face. "Hey, guys."

They weren't paying attention to his words, their focus trained solely on his face. It took him a moment to realize that they were staring at his eyes. No. Just his left eye.

Haise cleared his throat and scratched the nape of his neck. "Any requests for dinner?"

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><p>Dinner was a quiet affair. Their curiosity was nearly tangible, teeming with questions that he could see them struggle to contain, but everyone knew this was one subject they shouldn't cross him on. Even Shirazu, who never seemed to know where the boundaries lay, ate his soup quietly.<p>

And the fact that he was not actually _eating_ with them didn't help either. It was a cruel reminder of his higher RC levels, one he got over a long time ago, but he decided that perhaps there were still some bitter afterthoughts.

Haise never felt as if he was missing out on anything, especially since his senses told him that the rolls they were digging into were like moldy sponges, and the soup was curdled milk mixed with chunks of rotten fish guts and blocks of soggy wood.

No. It was the thought of being able to eat normal food that was appealing. The thought of being human that was appealing. Hell, even being a half-ghoul with low RC levels would be a gift sent from above.

A discontented sigh left his lips and he peered at the clock on the wall. Nine o'clock. Haise rose to his feet.

"I'm going to go out for a little bit."

Mutsuki wore an expression of confusion, as if the idea was a foreign concept. "Out?"

"Yes, I have… some arrangements."

"Arrangements?" Urie echoed with a look of slight distrust. "Is there a mission we don't know about?"

Haise shook his head and started to make his way over to the door, taking his jacket off from the hook and shrugging it on. "Nothing like that, Urie. Just some… personal affairs."

Mutsuki stood from the table, his head shaking in disbelief. "But we don't have personal affairs."

That, Haise supposed, was true. Between work, or perhaps personal preference, none of them really had personal lives. And with their confinement to the household, there were no secrets that remained hidden for long.

Haise slipped on his shoes and threw a smile over his shoulder. "And you better clean up this time! I'm the only one in the house that doesn't eat food and yet I somehow manage to be the one to clean the dishes after!"

Groans of contempt animated through the group and Haise let out a good natured laugh. "I'll be back soon."

The door clicked shut behind him and he begun his way to the Caffe, the cold wind bitting and tugging desperately at his clothes with its cold grasp. The streets were nearly vacant, only a few stragglers on the sidewalks that were illuminated periodically by a street lamp or the occasional open store.

As he neared the caffe, he trembled with an odd anxiety. Not the form of panic that usually came the anxiety attacks, no, this was different. Something he could only identify as anticipation.

He rounded the corner and came to stop. The caffe was open, the lights pouring onto the streets from the window and radiating a fine sense of security. A small grin came to his face.

Touka passed by the window, she was out of uniform, clad in a deep burgundy dress and black leggings, swirling a wet rag over the tables. Haise rapped his knuckles against the glass and she glanced up, recognizing his face with a quick widening of her eyes, and hurried over to unlock the door.

There was a silence, where both were unsure how to greet each other.

"Hey-"

"Hi-"

Haise chuckled and stepped into the warmth of the caffe, inhaling the appealing aroma through his nose. "I hope I didn't come at a bad time."

Touka shook her head. "No, I was just closing shop."

"Oh, should I come back-"

She shut the door behind him, flipping the sign to closed. "Nope, this is fine."

"Great." Haise smiled and tugged off his jacket, folding the piece clothing over his arm.

Another silence consumed them.

It wasn't necessarily uncomfortable, but it wasn't exactly pleasant either, only the ticking of the clock filling the space. After what seemed like a struggle of words, Touka spoke.

"How was work?"

Haise shrugged noncommittally, and decided to go with the truth. "I didn't go today, I wasn't feeling too well."

"That's a shame." Touka murmured.

More silence.

"So how long have you been in the area?"

Touka tucked a lock of dark hair behind her ear. "Not too long, I used to work at an old coffee shop but it was… shut down. I've bounced back and forth between places until a friend of mind proposed the idea of starting our own shop, so we did."

"The place looks great," Haise complimented but her face remained stoic. A nervous chuckle died in the back of his throat. "So, uh, where's the friend?"

"He's out," Touka shrugged with an air of nonchalance. "Picking up a, uh, some more food for the place. You might get to meet him if he hurries up."

She turned the conversation back on him. "So how long have you been in the area?"

Haise smiled, shifting his weight onto one leg - a more relaxed position. "A couple years now, ever since I started working for the CCG."

A previous thought came to mind. "What college did you go to? I mean, you just look a bit familiar."

It was as if he just told her he ran over her dog. Her eyes grew wide and breath left her as if she had been socked in the gut. "Do you remember?"

That was an unexpected response. His brow furrowed. "So we have met?"

She deflated, her arms hanging lip and head falling forward."Haise, you told me before you had anxiety attacks. What triggers them?"

Haise pressed a finger to his lips. "I'm not sure."

It was a half-lie he was use to telling and one he was positive he had told her once before. Sometimes they really did come out of nowhere - he could be reading a book, going for a walk, or tapping a pen on the desk and he would suddenly find himself incapacitated and clutching his head as if it were being split apart.

But there were other times, where he was positive it was triggered by something, whether it be by a familiar object or a nightmare. He was told it was from the time he had been kidnapped by the doctor and made into what he was now. The memories of his life before he was a half-ghoul were fuzzy at best, but the time period of his 'rebirth' and up until the CCG were ripped from the timeline. Completely nonexistent.

But there was one thing that proved to show he would never want to return to that life. It was the shadow of himself the haunted him in his dreams, the white-haired version that mocked him, and called him weak. It was the ghoul that demanded to be accepted. It was the ghoul he kept locked tightly inside himself.

The CCG had rescued him and that was the only thing he deemed important enough to matter in his life. They provided him a home and job and for that, he would be forever grateful.

Touka opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by a quiet knock on the door.

Haise spun on his heel. "Is that your friend?"

"No." Maybe it was the lighting but he was positive she was paler. "It's a customer."

Haise took note of the inconspicuous figure outside. He was tall with matted black hair peaking out from the ratty hood of his jacket. It was too dark to take note of his facial features but from his firm stance and slim build Haise guessed the stranger to be within his twenties or thirties.

Touka opened the door and he spoke quietly into her ear. She nodded in response and he then leaned against the outside wall as she turned to Haise.

"I'll be right back. I just need to grab some food from the back." And she disappeared into the door behind the counter. Haise glanced between the door and the stranger, slightly confused by the strange interaction.

The man had turned away from him, only the profile of his face outlined in dark shadows. A car passed, and the headlights spanned across his face for the slightest of moments.

And that was all it took.

Haise's side exploded with pain, as if someone had punched a hole into his stomach and was trying to rip out his organs. With a groan, he stumbled to the nearest table and braced himself to keep upright.

He counted in his head. One, two, three, four seconds. And then it was over. The pain leaking away with each strained breath until there was only a faint stitch in his side.

"Hey, are you okay?"

The man had entered the store, his muddy shoes apparent from Haise's crouched position and he lifted his head, trying to smile with reassurance.

"Yeah, it was just something I ate."

It was the stranger's turn to look as if he had been punched in the gut. His jaw dropping and the eye that wasn't concealed by the eyepatch widened as if he were looking straight at a ghost. "Oh."

"Hey."

Both their heads snapped at the word.

It was Touka, her voice laced with an odd tone and a folded package in her arms. "Here is your package, you need to leave now."

Haise tripped back onto his feet and turned only catch the backhand of a gesture Touka was making at the man. He looked at her in confusion but she shook her head dismissively.

The man sighed deeply, and took the package from her hands before shifting back to the door. "Thank you, Touka."

Touka nodded in reply. "Anytime, Amon."

* * *

><p><strong>The amount of times I rewrote this chapter is embarrassing and I still don't like the way it turned out. Any thoughts?<strong>


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